Glossary
Plain-language definitions for technology infrastructure terms.
Backhaul
The connection between a local network edge—such as a WISP tower or cell site—and the broader internet or core network.
Dedicated Internet Access (DIA)
A symmetrical, SLA-backed internet connection with guaranteed bandwidth, latency and uptime.
Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT)
A large-scale network address translation system that allows many customers to share a small pool of public IPv4 addresses.
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
The routing protocol used to exchange reachability information between networks on the internet.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
A security solution that continuously monitors endpoints to detect and respond to suspicious behavior.
Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
A service that combines threat detection technology with a human security operations center to investigate and respond to incidents.
Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)
Software used by MSPs to monitor and manage customer endpoints and networks remotely.
Colocation
Renting space, power and cooling in a third-party data center to house your own servers and networking equipment.
Capital Expenditure (CapEx)
Upfront spending on physical assets such as servers, networking gear or infrastructure.
Operating Expenditure (OpEx)
Ongoing operational costs, often including monthly payments for financing, cloud services or managed services.
Ethernet Transport
A Layer 2 data service that connects two or more locations with dedicated bandwidth, often used for tower backhaul and data-center interconnects.
IP Transit
A service that allows a network to reach the entire internet by paying a provider to carry its traffic.
Autonomous System Number (ASN)
A unique identifier assigned to a network that participates in BGP routing on the global internet.
Patch Management
The process of identifying, testing and deploying software updates to fix vulnerabilities and bugs across endpoints and servers.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
A security control that requires two or more distinct verification factors before granting access to an account or system.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software hosted by a vendor or provider and accessed by customers over the internet, usually via subscription.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
A processor optimized for parallel computation, widely used for AI inference, training, rendering and scientific workloads.
Equipment Finance Agreement (EFA)
A loan structure where the borrower owns the equipment from day one and pays down the balance over a fixed term.